I2,m° 
#<7?3 


Duke  University  Libraries 


Hu)    /#£ 


D03212479S 


MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 


Richmond,  Va.,  Feb.    17,   1S63. 
To  the  Sena'c  and  House  of  Representative*: 

I  herewith  transmit  a  Report  of  the  Postmaster  General,  supple- 
mental to  liia  report  submitted  to  Congress  at  the  opening  of  the 
present  session,  to  which  I  invite  your  special  attention. 

JEFFERSOft  DAVIS. 


*-97 


y 


SUPPLEMENTAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


POSTMASTER    GENERAL. 


Postoffice  Department.       ) 
Richmond,  February  12,  18G3.  \ 

To  the  President  : 

S.r:  At  the  opening  of  the  present  session  of  Congress,  I  did  not 
submit  estimates  for  appropriations  for  this  department  for  the  fiscal 
year  from  the  1st  July,  1863.  to  the  3  >th  June,  18G4,  because  I  had 
not  at  that  time  the  means  of  determining  the  effect  which  the  act  of 
the  19th  of  April  last,  establishing  a  uniform" rate  of  letter  postage  of 
ten  cents,  from  and  after  the  1st  July  last,  and  the  act  of  the  21st  of 
the  same  month,  reducing  the  rates  of  commissions  to  be  allowed  to 
postmasters  as  compensation  for  their  services,  which  was  also  to  go 
into  operation  on  the  1st  July  last,  would  have  on  the  revenues  of  the 
department.  And  the  information  necessary  to  tho  preparation  of 
these  estimates,  is  also  necessary  to  enable  Congress  to  determine  the 
sum  which  will  be  required,  if  any,  in  addition  to  the  current  reve- 
nues of  the  department,  to  keep  up  the  postal  service. 

The  accounts  of  the  department  for  tho  quarter  which  ended  the 
30th  September  last,  being  the  first  quarter  after  the  above  named 
laws  went  into  effect,  have  now  been  made  up;  and  I  am  enabled,  on 
the  data  furnished  by  them,  to  present  revised  estimates  for  the  present 
fiscal  year,  and  to  submit  the  necessary  estimates  for  appropriations 
for  the  next  fiscal  year. 
The  actual  expenditures  for  the  year  which  ended 

the  30th  June  last  were  $2,924,290  48 

The  actual  receipts  for  the  same  year  were  1,91 1,189  05 

Excess  of  expenditures,  $1,013,101   43 

The  estimated  expenditures  heretofore  submitted 

for  the  present  fiscal  year,  ending  the  3Dth  of 

next  June,  arc  §3,37G.2G8  99 

Estimated  receipts  for  same  year,  l,!Ml,18)  05 


Estimated  excess  of  expenditures,  $I,4G5,079  94 


Unexpended   balance  of  nppropriati  >ns   from  the 

Genera]  Treasury  to  meet  this  excess,  1. 470. 233  45 


Which  would  leave  an  estimated  balance  in  the 
Treasury  to  the  credit  of  the  Postoffice  De- 
partment, at  the  end  of  the  present  fiscal  real 
of  $11,15$  51 

The   revenues  of  the  department  for  the   quarter  which  ended    tho 
8  th  September  List,  being  the  first  quarter  of  the  cirivnt  fiscal  year, 

and  the  first  quarter  after  the  above  named  laws,  increasing  the  letter 
postage,  and  reducing  the  commissions  of  postmasters,  went  into 
effect,  were : 

From  letter  postage  paid  in  money,  $184,208   13 

from  postage  on  newspapers  and  pamphlets  paid 

in  money,  45  243  28 

From  surplus  of  emoluments  from  box  rents,  24  00 

From  postage  stamps  sold,  487.71)3   58 


Making,  $7  1 7.27 4   98 

If  th'13  rate  of  receipts  should  continue   for  the  remaining  three 

? 'Barters,  it  would  produce  an  aggiegate  of  receipts  For  the  year,  of 
wo  millions  eight  hundred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  ninety-nine  dollars 
and  ninety-six  cents,  (2.869,093  96);  being  an  estimated  increase, 
baaed  on  the  actual  returns  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  current  fboal 
year,  over  the  actual  receipts  of  the  year,  which  ended  June  30,  I  S(J 2, 
•nd  which  formed  the  basis  of  my  former  estimate  for  this  year,  of 
nine  hundred  and  fifty-seven  thousand  nine  hundred  and  ten  dollars 
and  ninety-one  cents  ($957,910  91).  Notwithstanding  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  rates  of  commissions  paid  to  postmasters  as  compensation 
for  their  services,  the  estimated  increase  of  receipts  for  p  istages  for 
the  current  fiscal  year,  based  upon  the  actual  receipts  and  commissions 
for  the  quarter  which  ended  the  30th  September  last,  it  is  estimated 
will  increase  their  compensation  eighty.- eight  thousand  two  hundred 
and  Thirty-eight  dollars  and  ninety  three  cents.  ($88,238  93.)  for  the 
year.  Deducting  this  sum  from  the  estimated  increase  of  receipts  for 
the  present  year,  resuling  from  the  increased  rates  of  postage,  and 
the  reduced  rates  of  commissions  allowed  to  postmasters,  would  leave 
a  nett  estimated  inert ase  of  eight  hundred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  six 
hundred  and  seventy-two  dollars  and  one  cent,  ($863,672  *  *  1  >  _  This 
latter  sum  is  to  be  added  to  the  former  estimate  submitted  by  me  of 
the  revenues  of  the  department  for  the  current  fiscal  year,  and  sub- 
tracted from  the  former  estimated  deficiency  of  one  million  four  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  thousand  seventy-nine  dollars  and  ninety  four 
Cents,  ($1,465,079  94,)  and  reduces  that  deficiency,  which  was  based 
on  the  receipts  of  last  year,  to  five  hundred  and  ninety-five  thousand 
four  hundred  and  seven  dollars  and  ninety-three  cents,  ($5)5.  I'i7  93). 
This  correction  of  my  former  estimate  of  the  receipts  and  expendi- 
tures of  the  current  fiscal  year,  requires  that  the  sum  of  eight  hun- 


dred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy-two  dollars  and 
one  cent,  ($869,672  01,)  shall  be  added  to  the  sum  of  eleven  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fifty-three  dollars  and  fifty-one  cents,  (§11,153  51,) 
which  it  whs  then  estimated  would  remain  in  the  Treasury  to  the 
credit  of  this  department  at  the  end  of  the  year,  and  shows  that  the 
estimated  amount  which  will  remain  in  the  Treasury  to  the  credit  of 
this  department  at  the  end  of  the  present  fiscal  year,  will  be  eight 
hundred  and  eighty  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollar* 
and  forty-nine  cents,  ($880, 825  43). 

It  is  possible  that  a  larger  amount  of  postage  stamps  may  have  bee* 
Bold  and  absorbed  as  currency  duiiug  the  first  quarter  of  this  year 
than  the  average  sales  for  the  three  remaining  quarters;  and  if  60, 
this  will,  to  that  extent,  affect  the  accuracy  of  this,  estimate.  Ad4 
the  available  revenues  of  the  Department  may  be  in  some  degree 
affected  by  the  success  of  the  Auditor,  in  their  collection  and  use  in 
payment  for  the  service. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  results  from  the  operations  of  the  acts 
referred  to,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  revised  estimates  in  detail  of  the 
receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  Department  for  the  year  ending  June 
30,  1863,  and  also  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1864. 

Estimated  Expenditures  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1863; 

For  transportation  of  the  mails,                                          §2,493,383  81 

"     Compensation  of  Postmasters,  753,966  60 

Clerks  in  Postoffices,  98,8215$ 

"     Ship,  steamboat  and  way  letters,  777  09 

<;     Advertising,  6,879  0$ 

"     Mail  bags,  714  77 

"     Office  furniture,                                      •  81  81 

"     Pda:,ks  and  printing,  30,00  II  00 

"     Wrapping  paper  and  twine  8,000  00 

"     Mail  depredations  and  special  agents,  ■  25,2! '6  50 

"     Miscellaneous  payments,  17,112  111 

"    Postage  stamps,  22,869  50 

"     Mail  locks,  keys  and  rating  stamps,  689  4'J 

§3,464,5)7  92 


■v<   Estimated  Receipts  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1863: 
From  letter  postage,  paid  in  money,        $736,832  52 
"     Newspapers  and  pamphlets,    '  180,973   12 

"      Surplus  emoluments  from  box 

rents,  96  00 

"     Postage  stamps,  1,951,198  33 


$2,869,099  96 


Estimated  excess  of  expenditures,  $595,4  '7  9l 

Amount  carried  forward,  §595,407  C| 


Amount  brought  forward.  $505,407  96 

Amount  of  appropriations  remaining 
to  the  credit  of  the  Department  on 
the  3  Hli  June,  1862,  $682,806  93 

To  balance  of  appropriation  under 
act  of  April   3d,  1868,  :n  per  es- 
'timate  of  March  llth,  1862,  532,-211    74 

Amount  appropriated  l»y  act  of  Oc- 
tober 9,  1863.  13  >,607  39 
Amount  appropriated  l»y  act  of  Oc- 
tober 13,  1863,  130,607  39 

$1,476,233    15 


Which  would  leave  n  balance  in  the  treasury  to  the 
credit  of  the  Department  at  the  end  of  the  current 

•fiscal  year,  of                                            .  880,825  49 

Estimated  Expenditures  for  yf.au  ending  June  30,  1864: 

I&r  transportation  of  mails,  $2,8011,164  0B 

"    Compensation  of  postmasters,  750,966  60 

"               "              of  clerks  in  postoffices,  98,821    29 

"    Ship,  steamboat  and  way  letters,  777  09 

"    Advertising,  6,879  03 

"    Mail  bags,  711  77 

"    Office  furniture,  81   81 

"    Blanks  and  printing,  30,01)0  (10 

"    Wrapping  paper  and  twine,  8,000  00 

"    Mail  depredations  and  special  agents,  25,206  50 

J*    Miscellaneous  payments^  17,112  07 

"   Postage  stamps,  22,819  5  ) 

"    Mail  locks,  keys,  and  rating  stamps,  6S9  40 


Estimated  Receipts  for  the  year  ending  June 
30,  1864: 
From  letter  postage,  paid  in  money,       $736,832  52 
"     Newspaper  and  pamphlet  postage,     180,973   12 
f*     Surplus    emoluments    from    box 

rents,  96   00 

"     Postage  stamps,  1,951,198  32 


$3,771,282   14 


$2,869,090  96 


Estimated  excess  of  expenditures,  $902,182    18 

Deduct  amount  of  estimated  unexpended  balance  re- 
maining in  the  treasury  to  the  credit  of  the  De- 
partment on  30th  June,  1863,  880,825  49 


Estimated  deficiency  for  year  ending  30th  June,  1864,       $21,356   69 

The  estimates  of  expenditures  for  the  year  ending    Tunc  30,  1864, 
are  greater  by  the  sum  of  three  hundred  and  six  thousand  seven  hun- 


dred  and  seventy-four  dollars  and  twenty-two  cents,  (3'6,774  22.) 
than  the  estimated  expenditures  of  the  present  year.  This  results 
from  an  increase  of  the  estimated  cost  of  transportation,  made  in  con- 
sequence of  the  facts  that  contracts  for  carrying  the  mails  for  the 
next  four  years  from  the  1st  of  July  next,  are  to  be  made  during  the 
coming  spring  in  the  States  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Caro- 
lina, Georgia  and  Florida.  The  present  cost  of  transportation  in 
these  States  other  than  by  railroads  is  three  hundred  and  six  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  sev:nty-four  dollars  and  twenty-two  cents,  ($3'.)6,- 
774  22.)  per  annum.  On  account  of  the  augmented  prices  of  every 
thing,  and  of  the  fact  that  the  competition  for  the  new  contracts  will 
bj  reduced  in  consequence  of  mail  contractors,  their  drivers  and 
riders,  who  are  liable  to  miliary  duty,  being  now  required  to  go  into 
the  army,  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  add  in  the  estimates  for  next  year 
one  hundred  per  cent,  to  the  present  cost  of  transportation  other  than 
by  railroads  in  these  States. 

The  estimated  deficiency  for  the  next  fiscal  year  of  twenty-one 
thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-six  dollars  and  sixty-nine  cents, 
($21,366  69),  may  be  met  without  an  appropriation  from  the  general 
treasury,  if  Congress  will  enact  laws  to  carry  in^o  effect  the  recom- 
mendations made  in  the  report  which  I  had  the  honor  to  submit  on  the 
12th  of  January  last,  recommending  an  increase  of  the  postage  on 
newspapers,  and  the  repeal  of  the  law  authorizing  newspaper  exchanges 
to  be  carried  free  of  postage,  to  which  recommendations  attention  is 
respectfully  called.  It  is  estimated  that  if  the  changes  therein  recom- 
mended are  made,  they  will  produce  an  increase  of  the  receipts  of  the 
Department  of  sixty  or  seventy  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  If  these 
changes  should  be  made,  it  will  only  be  necessary  for  Congress  to  ap- 
propriate the  revenues  of  the  Department  arising  from  postage  for  the 
fiscal  year  ending  June  3D,  I8G  1.  If  they  arc  not  made,  it  will  bencces- 
sary  fur  Congress  to  provide  the  sum  of  twenty-one  thous  md  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty-si x  dollars  and  sixty -nine  cents,  ($2 !  ,.">oG  6'J),  to  cover 
the  estimited  deficiency  of  revenues  for  that  rear,  or  for  the  Depart- 
ment to  curtail  the  service  so  as  to  avoid  the  expenditure  of  that 
amount . 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that,  from  the  fid  heretofore 
given  thi-i  Department  by  appropriations  from  the  general  treasury, 
its  operations  may  be  carried  on  until  the  3  )th  of  June,  18n4.  if 
allowed  to  use  the  full  amount  of  the  appropriations  heretofore  made; 
and  will  secure  another  year  in  which  to  ascertain  whether  the  De- 
partment can  be  sustained  by  its  own  revenues. 

•  By  reference  to  the  estimates  submitted  by  me,  on  the  31st  Decem- 
ber la  it,  it  will  be  seen  that  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  Congress 
to  appropriate  the  accruing  revenues  of  the  Department,  the  accounts 
for  the  \\m'.\\  year  which  ended  <  n  the  3  )th  June,  1862,  cannot  be 
closed  un:il  an  appropriation  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  fifty  five  dollars  and  twenty-three  cents, 
(§276  355  23),  of  the  accrued  revenues  of  that  year  slwdl  be  appro- 
priated This  resultel  from  the  fact  that  no  appropriation  of  the 
accruing  revenues  of  the  Department  has  been  made  to  a  later  date 


8 

than  the  1st  of  March,  1S62.  And  hence,  though  in  fact  it  has  hcen 
osiBg  its  accruing  revenues  in  anticipation  of  their  being  appropriated, 
if  now  called  on  to  close  the  accounts  of  the  Department  without 
further  legislation,  it  would  appear  that  the  entire  amount  of  appro- 
priations heretofore  made  from  the  general  treasury,  in  aid  of  its 
revenues,  has  hcen  already  expended,  and  that  the  amount  to  be 
expended  between  this  and  the  30th  of  June.  1864,  according  to  the 
foregoing  estimates,  would  have  to  he  paid  out  of  the  accruing  revenues 
of  the  Department  hereafter  to  be  appropriated.  In  consequence  of 
the  failure  of  Congress  to  appropriate  the  accruing  revenues  .of  the 
Department,  I  have  not  been  enabled,  by  the  use  of  covering  warrants* 
to  place  them  in  the  treasury,  as  required  by  the  1st  section  of  the 
act  of  July  2,  1S3G,  4,to  change  the  organization  of  the  Postoffice 
Department,  and  to  provide  more  effectually  for  the  settlement  of  the 
accounts  thereof,"  so  as  to  use  them  in  payment  of  its  liabilities. 
This  will  appear  more  fully  by  the  following  exhibit  of  appropriations 
and  expenditures  up  to  the  31st  of  December,  1862. 

The  appropriations  and  expenditures  of  the  Department  from  tho 
1st  of  June,  1SG1,  to  December  31st,  1862,  arc  as  follows,  viz: 

APPROPRIATIONS. 

Amount  of   revenues    appropriated  by  act  approved 

16th  March,  1861,  •  §1,727,213  49 

Amount  of  grant  from  the  general  trea- 
sury by  same  act,  $320,060  36 

Amount  of  grant  from  the  general  trea- 
sury by  act  approved  29th  of  August, 
1861;  500,000  00 

Amount  of  grant  from  the  general  trea- 
sury by  act  approved  April  3,  1862,    1,451,602  31 

Amount  of  grant  from  the  general  trea- 
sury by  act  approved  October  9, 
1862,    *  130,607  39 

Amount  of  grant  from  the  general  trea- 
sury by  aet  approved  October  13, 
1862,  130,607  39 


Total  of  grants,  '  2,532,877  45 

Aggregate  of  revenues  and  grants  appropriated,    $1,260,(195  94 

EXPENDITURES. 

Amount  of  expenditures  during  the  month  of  June, 
1861,  as  exhibited  in  Auditor's  statement,  submit- 
ted January  12,  1863,  $135,927  24 

Amount  of  expenditures  between  tho  1st  of  July, 
1861,  and  30th  June,  1862,  as  exhibited  in  same 
report,  2,921,290  43 


Estimated  amount  of  expenditures  between  the  1st  of 
July,  1862,  and  December  31,  1S62,  as  based  upon 
the  revised  estimates  for  the  current  year,  herein- 
before set  forth,  1 ,732,253  96 


Aggregate  of  expenditures,  4,793,471   68 

Deduct  amount  of  appropriations,  4,260,095  94 


Iteming;  $632,37,3  74 

For  which  no  appropriation  has  yet  been  made. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing,  if  not  otherwise  directed  by  the  action  of 
Congress,  I  shall  treat  the  appropriations  heretofore  made  from  the 
general  treasury,  in  aid  of  the  revenues  of  this  department,  as  having 
been  expended,  and  use  the  accruing  revenues,  which  have  accumu- 
lated in  consequence  of  not  having  been  heretofore  appropriated,  in 
payment  of  its  liabilities  for  this  and  the  succeeding  year. 

The  tabular  statement  prepare  I  by  the  Auditor,  and  hereto  annexed, 
shows  in  detail,  and  by  States,  under  the  appropriate  heads,  the 
amount  of  revenues  collected,  and  the  cost  of  their  collection,  for  the 
quarter  which  ended  the  30th  September,  1862.-  0 

This  revision  of  my  former  estimates  and  submission  0f  estimates 
for  the  next  fiscal  year,  makes  it  necessary  for  Congress  to  appropriate 
the  following  amounts  from  the  accruing  revenues  of  the  department. 

For  the  year  which  ended  June  30th,  18G2,  $   276,355   23 

For  the  current  fiscal  year  ending  June  30th  1863,        2.869.K99   96 
For  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  3'Jth,  1S64,  2,869,099  96 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  H.  REAGAN, 

Postmaster  G.nera*. 


11 


_  vc  I-  cc  —  —  DC  l~  c  S3  Cl 
3  :  .  I  -  30  _  —  .~  -r  --C  3  — 
l '  C:  l-  CO  —  --=  CI  fcj  30  — * 

e»  cN        ci        l~  CO        -r  :-. 


ri  c-i  —  ci 


t-  to  ci  .i  •->  —  .-.  rv  ■;  — 
si  s  ici  iO  ci        t     - 

co  :_  ^ r  -o        r-.  — 


c»  c-i  *     |   — . 

e»  -    —        c. 

:  co  I  si- 


M     1 

n 
o 

Hi 

o 


s  a  /  .  - 

.- 

M 

*   — 

.1           C1C 

1 

£ 

1  - 

-1  —  —. 

cc 

c    r 

C3    — 

i» 

K   1-  -T  '■ 

l- 

30 

C 

O)   30   =5 

o 

CO 

CO 

CI   — 

»  _= 

a 

CI          CI 

■-; 

- 

_ 

■    3 

- 

- 

-e 

a 

"I 

ct 

D    J 

a 

»             = 

- 

-n 

NNO) 

X 

D 

co  -r  =•  — 

30 

iC 

—   S 

o 

u  s    u 

**■ 

CO    CI   O   — 

- 

-f 

- 

-     /•    ?  l  , 

oa 

- 

1  -  30    —    3 

t.  -.-.  n 

~     CO 

o  eg  -*■ 

c- 

: 

— 

<c 

?'  i-  — 

t^ 

^ 

X 

Cs 

— 

c 

- 

'-■5 

-t 

— 

-.  -e  ci  -h   s  s 


n  o  ci  ■->  i- 


re  r.  ci  i-   -. 

_    c  i  .  -     -  — 
—  y,  i-  in  — 


Ci 


CO  si  ©  o  -r  —  —   •—  30  ~'  —  ■£ 

■.-.    --r--;»,r    •  anoc 

:    =    CN    -.    CI    I  -  C  I  OB    '  -    V-    X    1  - 

c  i  »     :  /     .    .  .  —     .ci 

r.  o         --    -  i-  :-.  '-i  -  i  y.  i- 

—  —CI  .    c  I  CI    — 


aaig.of; 


5h3: 


s  5 : 


Ci    Si 

-t  on 


-  "  2  I* 

ci  ci  T-l  ' 

—  -.     - 


-    s    „ 
i.  o.  i.  a 


—  >  =  — 


5      « 


__-_      h 


HrHH 


Hollinger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


